Adventure In The Box
by JinxJen
Summary: Love Story In The Box sequel. An accident happened when Ulquiorra and Orihime are in the Caja Negacíon. They have to search the way to get out while Ulquiorra remembered the first time that he got caught in by Grimmjow and met another part of his soul.
1. CHAPTER 0: SUDDEN COLOR

Thanks for discovery this story!

And the fact that you found it was so amazing.

First I want to tell you this is the sequel of my first UlquiHime fic's "Love Story In The Box". If you have free time, you could read it first to understand what happened to them in the first place. Or at least, you should read its summary. The title has already said it all. The story is Ulquiorra and Orihime's adventure in the box.

Second this story is still on progressing state. Or I can say. It was like a DEMO version. Because I might revive and revive everytime I spot any mistakes or add more detailed. But the flowing in the chapter didn't change.

Third the progression of that story is rather an adventure itself. The author just follows her inspiration. It doesn't follow any constant order. Sometimes in one chapter, I write about Orihime's POV. In another chapter, I switch back to Ulquiorra's POV. Or maybe I didn't show whose POV because it's unclear. Or maybe it's just flashback from another character besides Ulquiorra and Orihime. Just expect there will be a lot of flashbacks here.

Last, even if the authors already set up the ending, she still don't know what wil happen in the middle. That'll make the story more and more unexpected.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

Some parts may sound weird in English; because I'm not an English Native one. Ha ha ha.

I also randomly used _italic word_ to describe the thought of the characters or maybe it just some strong feeling of characters I want to put in to that word.

* * *

**CHAPTER 0 - PROLOGUE: SUDDEN COLOR**

Ulquiorra was still in his blissful hug with her. He closed his eyes and accepted it. A smile flashed on his face unknowingly.

By the time, he opened his eyes. An image of white color was caught in his green eyes. His eyes opened widely in surprise at the things he saw around him.

And then he heard Orihime's joyful voice speaking behind him,

"Ulquiorra, this is…"

**

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**

**JinxJen's note:**

I have to apologize for the writing first because I'm not exactly very proficient in English.

Even if I tried to use GORGEOUS words, I fail miserably. I just keep thinking it would be better if I use simple and easy to understand words.

I also want to say that I would post arc by arc. Not chapter by chapter. Because it's still in progress state.

Once I finish proofreading until I satisfied with the every chapter in the arc, I post.

This is the first arc. The first arc's name will be the title of the next chapter.

Prologue is short. But the next one won't be the same.

See you in the next chapter.


	2. CHAPTER 1: WHITE HIBISCUS

Thanks for reading the story!

This is chapter 1 of UlquiHime Adventure In The Box.

The title of this chapter is also the name of the first arc.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 1: WHITE HIBISCUS**

After a reluctant moment, he finally let go of her.

They were looking at a sudden change of their surroundings in surprise.

For some reasons, under their feet was not a carpet of _green grasses_ anymore.

There are flowers.

_White flowers_.

Now, under their feet was a carpet of _white flowers_ and _green grasses_.

_Since when did they appear? _

Although both Ulquiorra and Orihime were stepping on those flowers, the flowers didn't get crushed.

Just like _those grasses_.

If these were illusions, then his eyes would surely know. But he couldn't figure out.

And the oddest thing was the more steps Ulquiorra and Orihime walked together on the green grass field; the more flowers appeared on their path. It didn't apply when they walked separately though.

While Ulquiorra tried to figure out what had just happened here, Orihime seemed looking happy when she saw _those flowers_. "Look look, Ulquiorra! It's flower. I wonder what kind of flower it is."

"Hibiscus."

Orihime startled with his reply. She didn't catch on his word. "Eh? What did you say?"

"The flower is hibiscus." Ulquiorra repeated his word.

"Ulquiorra, you know about flower?" Orihime was surprise. She didn't know that Ulquiorra was _into flower_. Somehow Ulquiorra and flower (and flower ring and flower bed and flower bath) didn't go well together. Her imagination began to run wild.

"No. I don't." Luckily that his answer cut off her odd thought.

But Orihime was still puzzled, "Then why do you know this flower is hibiscus?"

"Actually, of all flowers, I only know this one." Ulquiorra stated out his reason.

"Eh? How come?" _Did this flower have any special meaning to you?_

Ulquiorra kept himself in silent after her question for a long moment.

It looked like he gave himself away too much. But it was too late to take it back.

_And why did things like that always happen to him?_

"It has the same name of your power." He replied with his softest voice of ever.

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

The title was inspired from the title of yupon's fic "White Hibiscus ~ Filament."

In other words, that I got inspiration while I read the meaning of white hibiscus, and I make this arc for all about hibiscus with UlquiHime.

If it could be possible, I want to present this arc to yupon as a "thank you" for her Ulquiorra's great fic.

Next chapter, we will get to see how Ulquiorra can be able to _into_ flower.


	3. CHAPTER 2: WHAT IS A FLOWER?

Thanks for reading the story!

I'm amazed that you're still reading.

Isn't it because it's short?

Don't worry. It'll be longer and longer by the time when more things happen.

Anyway, now we go to flashback mode on how Ulquiorra can be _into_ flower of the previous chapter.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 2: WHAT IS A FLOWER?**

Apparently, when Orihime first came to Las Noches, after she displayed her power to Aizen-sama together with some Espada's witness, he did ask her once about her power.

That conversation happened at the time when he first brought her to her cell located in his quarter.

"By what name did you call your power as?"

She was startled at his question as if she didn't even realize that he was here with her.

"They are called _Shun Shun Rikka_." Slowly, she replied in her soft and small voice.

"What does that mean?"

"It literally means _Six Flowers of the Hibiscus Shield_."

"Flower? Hibiscus?" Those were _foreign_ words in his Arrancar dictionary.

There was no such thing called like that in Hueco Mundo.

Maybe that was the reason he had never seen her kind of power before.

Because he had never seen those kind of things like _flower_ or _hibiscus_.

"Hibiscus is a flower." Orihime continued.

"What is a flower?"

Just now, Orihime heard an odd question coming from Ulquiorrra.

_He didn't know what a flower was. What kind of life did he live before?_

"Ah, well, you see there are flowers on my hairpins." She pointed her finger to the hairpins on her hair.

Now that he could see it closer, he realized they have the same shape.

"Those things are called _flowe_r?"

"Calling my hairpins _things_ is rude, you know." Her eyebrows were knitting together.

_Was that an angry expression? _

"But they are things."

"No, they are not. They are memento from my brother."

Her voice went a bit louder. It seemed like she was really angry this time, but he didn't know why she had that expression toward him. He just said the truth.

He decided to drop out the matter because he didn't want to argue nonsense with her anymore.

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

Because Ulquiorra could only know and understand what he saw by his eyes, so if there were something that he had never seen or known before, it would become _foreign_.

I just assumed that there'll be no flower in Hueco Mundo, so he didn't know about that. He was not a type that could be interest in flower.

Maybe he had seen _flower _before when he came to Earth, but I doubt that he would know it was the flower. If he did ask somebody else besides Orihime that question, it would be ridiculous.

I also explain the name of Orihime's power in this chapter.


	4. CHAPTER 3: WEAR IT OR GET UGLY

Thanks for reading the story!

I will keep saying that every chapter now because I'm very happy that you're still reading on my story.

Let's continue with the flashback.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 3: WEAR IT OR GET UGLY**

Changing the flower topic, he gave her a box which was bigger than her schoolbag a little bit.

"Here."

When she opened it, she realized that there were clothes inside, a uniform designed for female Arrancar.

The same style as his uniform.

She frowned at the new uniform. She preferred to wear her school uniform. "But I'm not an Arrancar."

"When you are here, you are the same as us. You should wear it to prove your loyalty for Aizen-sama."

"I don't want to." She showed him her defiance look.

"This is not negotiation, woman. This is an order. Wear it or get your friends killed." To reply her, he sent back his cold look.

"Why do you keep threatening about my friends' lives every time I disagree? I was already the prisoner here. Why do I have to look the same as you guys?"

This time, it took him a second of hesitation.

_Why? I don't know why. It's for your own good, woman. _

"You ask too much question. Besides I don't think it did any good if you didn't wear it." _It might look good if you wear it rather than your old uniform._

"I don't want to." She still disobeyed.

He sighed. He had to think another threat.

"Such stubborn. Or do you want to let yourself starve and get ugly look while meeting Aizen-sama?"

She was startled at his new threat. She was sure that she didn't want that.

Starving might be OK for her, but getting ugly look was...

If Kurosaki-kun saw her like this, he would be hurt and blame himself. She didn't want to let him seeing her like that.

"Look, woman. Aizen-sama placed me in charge of your well being. And your duty is to keep yourself healthy and alive as much as possible."

He gave out his last reason to pursue her. If she disobeyed, then he had to punish her and it was so _bothersome_ to him.

Though her eyes were unwillingly, she finally nodded and held on the Arrancar uniform.

As soon as he saw her acceptance, he turned his head and went toward the door after he gave her his last order.

"Wear it. And replace your old uniform in the box. I will return in one hour."

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

This is how Ulquiorra pursued Orihime to wear the Arrancar uniform.

Because the old threat he made for her to "come with him" before didn't have any effect to her anymore, he has to think another one everytime he wants her to do something. Just like the meal time.

I think that's why he suddenly had that surprise comment at her uniform. At first, he only thought she might look good in it. But after she wore them for real, he didn't believe in his eyes that she surprisingly looked really good in it.

Flash back still continues and we haven't seen on how Ulquiorra know about the _hibiscus_ yet.


	5. CHAPTER 4: STRAY TO THE PINK MAN’S PLACE

Thanks for reading the story!

Flashback continues. And I start on Ulquiorra's POV since he has to find out the meaning of _hibiscus flower_ by himself.

Another Espada made his appearance in this chapter.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 4: ULQUIORRA ~ STRAY TO THE PINK MAN'S PLACE**

When Ulquiorra was already outside her room, he was walking down the hallway and was deep in thought.

_Why did this woman keep making everything harder for him? _

_And why was she not afraid of him? _

_She realized that she herself was a prisoner here, yet she still disobeyed him. It was not what a prisoner did, woman._

While he thought about the woman's odd behaviors and actions, he also wondered why he couldn't bring himself to punish her.

_Why was it bothersome to him?_

And his own questions began to irk him.

Because he didn't have any answers for that. He didn't want to _feel_ nor _think_ about that. He just followed the order.

And then, when he stopped his thought, his legs also stopped. He realized that he had strolled a little bit farther than his real destination.

He realized this place was the quarter of Szayel Aporro Granz, _Octava Espada_.

As soon as he was going to turn back to where he was, a man's voice talked to him,

"Which business does Cuatro Espada have here?"

It seemed too late to turn back peacefully though.

A pink-hair and amber-eyes man whose back leaned on the door of his lab, stopped at Ulquiorra's turning back path.

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

I think you could guess how I used the title. I actually like it when somebody remembered Szayel by his outstanding pink hair, but they didn't remember what his rank is.

Ulquiorra was deep in thought and his legs kept moving as he was thinking. I will leave it for your imagination on how Ulquiorra could he end up at Szayel's quarter which was obviously far from his own quarter here.


	6. CHAPTER 5: ULQUIORRA: REASON LOST

Thanks for reading this story!

Ulquiorra's POV continiues.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 5: ULQUIORRA ~ REASON LOST**

"Your weird monstrous reiatsu reeked all over my quarter. It made my Fracción collapsing here." Szayel said with the frustration in his voice.

Ulquiorra didn't realize that his reiatsu increased.

Usually, his normal reiatsu only made them weak, down to their knees, but not to such an extent as collapsing because he kept his reiatsu down as minimum as he could or else all weaker Arrancar around him within 1km would soon collapse.

_Was he too deep in thought that he forgot to keep it down?_

"So what is your business here?" Szayel's voice made him return to his situation.

He couldn't say the reason himself that he just accidently got into Szayel's quarter. Because the reason seemed fake itself. And he doubted that Szayel would believe him anyway.

But then he suddenly remembered the talk with the woman about her power. And here he thought Szayel could do him a little favor.

"I have something to ask."

**

* * *

**

**JinxJen's note:**

Short chapter. But I promised the next one will not be short.

Reiatsu means "spirit energy" in Japanese.

In manga, Ulquiorra has a large and strange reiatsu because he's Cuatro Espada. Based on Aizen's rule, those are Cuatro and above could not be able to release inside the dome. So I guess, he always hold up his own reiatsu to the minimum. But for a certain reason that he forgot and unknowingly released it.

What would Ulquiorra ask Szayel about? Find out in the next chapter.


	7. CHAPTER 6: SZAYEL: ULQUIORRA AND FLOWER

Thanks for reading this story!

This time, instead of continue Ulquiorra's POV, I do Syazel's POV instead because Ulquiorra is trying to keep himself calm to fool Szayel here.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 6: SZAYEL ~ ULQUIORRA AND FLOWER**

Szayel had a surprise look on his face, and he kept looking at Ulquiorra to detect if it was a lie or not. Of course, he couldn't figure out because Ulquiorra's emotionless face and eyes didn't show anything at all. But he went along with it, "What do you want to ask?"

"Do you know the _flower_ called _hibiscus_?"

This time, the shock in Szayel's eyes turned into something incredulous. He took a minute to digest Cuatro Espada's question. He still kept looking at Ulquiorra, but he failed at reading this emotionless guy's expression miserably. He closed his eyes for a moment to keep his thought together.

Finally, he asked, just for his curiosity about Ulquiorra's odd question.

"Why do you want to know?"

"That's not your concern." Ulquiorra replied immediately in his monotone voice.

_So it was personal?_

_Well, I'm not interest in him anyway._

Szayel decided he should stop teasing the green-eyed Espada now or else Ulquiorra might do something stranger to him. And by the Espada rank, he was sure that he couldn't win against Ulquiorra one-on-one.

"Wait here."

As Szayel waved his hand to signal Uqluiorra, he turned back, opened the door and went inside his room while Ulquiorra was waiting outside.

About 10 minutes, Szayel got out. His hand held on a book. He gave the book to Ulquiorra.

Ulquiorra looked at the book's title "Medicinal Plants Encyclopedia"

"The _hibicus_ part is on page 44. Read it."

"Thanks for the book." Ulquiorra said with his monotone voice and walked back at his path. In the next 4 seconds, there was no trace of his shadow or reiatsu.

_Ulquiorra thanked me!? _

_Something really happened. He was usually weird with his deadpan green eyes and green tear streaks. But today, he was weirder. _

_Why did he sudden interest in flower? Ulquiorra and flower surely didn't fit together._

_About flower, it reminded him about the little human girl that Aizen-sama ordered Ulquiorra to abduct. _

_Was there something happened between them?_

But then again, Szayel brushed out this absurd idea because like he said before Ulquiorra and flower surely didn't fit together.

That girl was like a weak flower while Ulquiorra was an emotionless Hollow. It's just the matter of time that she would get crushed by him. Much less that girl was a human and Ulquiorra's tendency was treating all human as "trash."

_But why do I care anyway? I have other important things to do now._

Now he gave out that "Medicinal Plants Encyclopedia" book to Ulquiorra, he couldn't use it for his experiment reference anymore.

He wondered if Ulquiorra knew the meaning of "hibiscus" especially the white one. Szayel knew that, and he liked its meaning, because it much less fitted well with his ideal of life.

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

I like this chapter title because it sounds funny, yet fluffy.

Okay, Szayel gave Ulquiorra a book so that Ulquiorra could found out what hibiscus means, yet the title of the book is not really a normal one and you sure know what kind of experiment and ideal that Szayel was into in the manga.

I will explain the meaning of the hibiscus flower in the next next chapter. So just keep on reading.

Ah, the next chapter we will return to the reality.


	8. CHAPTER 7: ORIHIME: AH, I GET IT

Thanks for reading this story!

We're back to the current situation in the box with Orihime's POV.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 7: ORIHIME ~ AH, I GET IT**

For a long silence that Ulquiorra hadn't responded to her question, so long that Orihime figured that he had decided not to answer her question.

_It was probably a secret._

Finally, in his softest voice that she ever heard from him, he said,

"It has the same name of your power."

_Eh? How come did I involve in this? Have I ever told him about my power?_

_Ah!_

She suddenly remembered back then when he asked her about the name meaning of her power.

Did he still remember?

But Ulquiorra back then hadn't even known what a flower was.

How come did he know about flower right now?

He shouldn't have gone to search them in the flower shop right? Or he might have disguised as a spy and pluck out all flowers in the park at night. Or maybe he secretly grew flowers in his room?

Orihime wanted to refrain from laughing out loud at her own thought, but she failed.

She was laughing now. Somehow, it seemed funny to the bones.

"It's not like that, woman."

Ulquiorra's words finally stopped her laughing. He was looking at her strangely and musingly.

"I read a book and saw the picture of the hibiscus flower, so I remember."

"Really? What book did you read?"

_It was a bit unfair. When I was in my cell, there's nothing for me to read. _

_And you didn't give me anything to read at all._

"Medicinal Plants Encyclopedia" Ulquiorra said the book's title with his usual monotone voice.

Orihime's eyes opened widely when she heard the title of the book.

_Maybe it's better if she didn't read after all._

Why did Ulquiorra suddenly get interest in medicinal plants? And he got interest in it after he asked her the meaning of "flower". Or did he only want to find out the meaning of "hibiscus" so he read that book?

_Ah, I get it._

She casted down her eyes to the ground and made another chuckle. _He's so cute._

Then, she looked up to him. Her face still blushed in a red color. She was embarrassed and happy at the same time. She gave out a smiled to Ulquiorra.

"Ulquiorra."

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

Teasing Ulquiorra is fun. And I like to do that everytime I had chance.

But still I haven't told you anything about the meaning of hibiscus flower yet, so please keep reading.

Next chapter is Ulquiorra's reaction.


	9. CHAPTER 8: ULQUIORRA: ONE HOUR WAITING

Thanks for reading this story!

Let's see how Ulquiorra reacts with Orihime's grateful act in the previous chapter.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 8: ULQUIORRA ~ ONE HOUR WAITING**

He wondered what on earth in his words made Orihime laughing out loud like that. It was the first time that he saw her expressed _strangely_ like that. She was laughing, yet tears were swelled in her eyes.

What would he call this emotion of her? Happy? Or sad?

Maybe the former. Because after he finished his word, she had a surprised look for a bit, and then her eyes rolled up to the sky. She spaced out. And then she started laughing at _something_, but not at him.

Surely, it was like to admit that he did the research for the "word" because of her. Yet, he still felt that something going in her mind was another different universal.

Whatever it was, he sure that it wasn't like what she thought. How could he be sure? He didn't know. He just knew it. And he had to voice out.

"It's not like that, woman."

She stopped her laughter.

"I read a book and saw the picture of the hibiscus flower, so I remember."

But because of her, he had unconsciously and reluctantly gone to Szayel's place and got that book.

* * *

When he came back to his room from Szayel's place, he read the book to pass time for one hour waiting for her changing the uniform.

"_Hibicus is a kind of plant that has flower. Hibiscus flower's color usually red in generality." _

Those were written in the book. Yet, he wondered why the picture of the hibiscus in the book was white.

"_Hibiscus flower were usually used for color dying." _

It meant that other colors of hibiscus flower could use to dye but the white color.

So why did they have to put the picture of the useless white one? They should put the most useful one. Human was not really a bright creature at all.

Also, as he remembered the shape of her hairpin, he thought it was totally different from the picture in the book.

Did that woman lie? No, she seemed not looking like that. And she had no reason to lie to him.

"_In some place, people tucked hibiscus flower on their hair behind the ear." _

Well, maybe they served the same purpose.

"_Which ear is used indicates the wearer's availability for marriage." _

This time he was sure that he was reading something strange. Also another foreign word _marriage_.

So usually, human tucked one hibiscus in one side of the ear, be it the right or the left. Yet, the woman he was in charge right now had hibiscus on both ears.

Why did you do thing stranger than any other humans, woman?

And then when he read to the part medical use of hibiscus, he saw,

"_White hibiscus was used for healing wounded. The flower was __used as an offering to God.__" _

So the white one wasn't the useless one. In fact, its use was the most important than the others.

Well, if he could choose the use between dying color and healing wound, he would choose the latter because it was useful. We don't need any color dying in Hueco Mundo.

And then he realized one thing, this white hibiscus was just like the woman. Useless at the first glance but useful later.

* * *

"Ne, Ulquiorra!"

Her voice brought him back.

She was looking at him with her gentle big grey eyes. He saw her smiling and blushing.

"Thank you."

He was frozen for a second. He didn't understand what she was thanking him for.

He didn't know why, but he felt something in his chest was burned. He felt hot.

Although he was sure that in the middle of his chest was his hole, nothing else, yet he kept hearing something beating inside faster and faster as if it was trying to burst out of his chest.

_Was it real or was it not?_ He was sure it was his mind doing all of these reactions. But his eyes didn't see anything. Or was it the heart she talked that caused it?

He's not sure whether he's happy or _embarrassed_ at her word anymore. Fortunately, his face didn't express anything outrageous or change into any color. Yet his eyes were still in confusion state.

And then he heard her keep talking,

"By the way, do you know the meaning of hibiscus flower, Ulquiorra?"

_He didn't know._

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

Ah, I really had fun to write the way Ulquiorra reads the book and deciphers the words. For some reason, I thought he was a computer XD

Yet, I was still in teasing here. Next chapter will reveal the meaning of the flower.

Please keep on reading.


	10. CHAPTER 9: FLOWER OF UNSPOKEN WORDS

Thanks for reading this story!

In this chapter reveals the meaning of the flower.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 9: FLOWER OF UNSPOKEN WORDS**

It wasn't written in the book.

The only thing he remembered was the meaning of the act "putting hibiscus on the hair behind the ear". Yet the meaning was a _foreign _word that he didn't understand.

"No. I don't."

"I know it."

He looked at her doubtfully.

_She didn't know about the flower's shape or appearance, but she knew its meaning?_

It seemed his odd look suggesting the question "How do you know?" to her.

"Ah, I have a friend who loves flowers. Although I haven't seen the real hibiscus flower before, she told me about its meaning. And I think it's somehow like you."

She kept talking with her most gentle expression.

_Like me? In what way?_

"What does it mean?" He asked.

"In my world, the hibiscus means 'gentle'. It's the flower of unspoken words because the flower name has already talked itself. And I think…"

She stopped in the middle of her sentence, somehow trying to say the word, but that word couldn't come out clearly.

"You think…?" He repeated.

"I think you are gentle." She was blushing.

Why did she feel embarrassed when she said that word to Ulquiorra?

She didn't feel anything like that before when she talked the same word about Kurosaki-kun.

Of course, Kurosaki-kun was always gentle in her mind. But somehow, when she thought how gentle Ulquiorra was, she couldn't believe herself that she thought about him like that.

And he was supposed to be her enemy at that time. In fairy tale, enemy was not supposed to be gentle to the captive.

"I see."

She heard him replying with his calm voice. So short. _He might think that I'm an idiot._

"But the white hibiscus has another meaning. And I like it."

She tried to change the topic to another way, but she still kept talking about the flower.

"What's meaning?" He asked with a little curiosity sparkling in his eyes.

"It means 'forever', just like our relationship." She smiled and answered him.

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

To you, Orihime in this chapter might be out of her character, but who knows.

To me, she was always acting out of character. She was still in the middle of growing up, you know.

I still believe that she has never or will never hate anyone because she always thinks of any good trait about people that she believes that they are good, especially people that she likes.

That why regardless that thought about Ulquiorra coming from her, she even didn't believe herself that she thought about him like that.

Making her contradicted was my intention at the begining, but in the end I decided for her to speak her true feeling after all.

Next chapter was Ulquiorra's POV for Orihime's speaking her thought like that about him.


	11. CHAPTER 10: ULQUIORRA: ODD SENTIMENT

Thanks for reading this story!

Woa, we have already reached chapter 10. I'm glad that you are still reading and enjoying the story.

This chapter is Ulquiorra's POV.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 10: ULQUIORRA ~ ODD SENTIMENT**

If it was Ulquiorra in the past who didn't give any thought about "heart" or "feeling", then he was sure that he would tell her that she was talking nonsense.

Because no one ever told him that he was gentle before. Even himself.

But now, when she talked about him like that with that expression, he just felt a bit odd sentiment.

Why did he feel _happy_?

He didn't know which part about him that made her think he was gentle. But regardless, he heard her true thought about him.

And he didn't want to deny her. Yet, he couldn't find a word to agree with her because he had never thought about himself like that before.

"I see." It seemed that is the only word that he could speak out.

And then she kept talking about the meaning of those white hibiscus flowers under their feet.

She repeated the word which she asked him before. And she smiled happily.

Although Ulquiorra didn't get well the meaning of that world because to him, time is meaningless, he was glad that she talked about "us" like that.

"Is that so?" He replied to her words. And he saw her giggles with the flowers.

Now, after a long talk about flower, he got back to the current situation.

How did it happen here? How could flowers suddenly appear in Caja Negacíon?

Also the fact since the beginning they got themselves in here, the scenery of green grass field and blue sky already didn't make sense to him.

And it was totally different from the time he was in Grimmjow's Caja Negacíon.

He tried to review his first time experience in the box.

And also Aizen-sama's explanation about Caja Negacíon.

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

This chapter is the closure for the first act ~ White Hibiscus.

I really have fun to write about this arc. And I hope that you would like it too.

Starting from the next chapter is another new arc. I will reveal the new arc title later.

But I have the feeling, it starts going to rocky. Because the script I have right now is a mess here.

I have to rearrange those next chapters' order over and over again, but I still haven't figured out anything yet.

For now, the only thing I can say for the next chapter is we are going to Ulquiorra's flashback mode about Caja Negacíon.

Please keep on reading.


	12. CHAPTER 11: CAJA NEGACÍON

Thanks for reading this story!

I will start a new arc in this chapter. I haven't figure out the name of the arc yet, so just let's it slide.

First, let's go back to Ulquiorra's flashback from the old day when he was the Cuatro Esapda and served Aizen-sama.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 11: CAJA NEGACÍON**

It was a story not long after Aizen and his gang took Hougyoku, betrayed Soul Society and went to Hueco Mundo, but it was before Ulquiorra and Yammy came to the human world…

In one of the Espada meetings, all Espada gathered around the oval table to hear what news that their great leader would tell them today.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the Espada. I'm glad that you're coming. I have a present to you all today. But first, shall we have some tea?"

After the tea had been passed around to everyone, Aizen said with his leisure voice, "Now then, please listen while you drink."

Aizen signaled the blind ex-shinigami on his left side, "Kaname, bring them out, please."

"Yes, sir." Tousen Kaname replied and pulled the switch on the wall.

On the table, in front of every Espada seat suddenly appeared a small black cube. It was as small as a sugar cube. Everybody looked at the small cube as puzzling as what it was.

"This is Caja Negacíon." Aizen said with a smirk. "It means Negative Box. It can imprison Arrancar in a separate dimension."

While Aizen waited for his Espada noting on his word and looking carefully the small cube in front of them, he sipped on his tea cup and continued. "I will give them to you."

"Why do we need to imprison some Arrancar instead of killing them?" One of the Espada asked him.

"Well, recently, I hear from one of the Espada that his subordinates caused a lot of problems. But he didn't want to kill them because it was too bothersome. We are preparing for war with Soul Society. So it's better not to have any internal wars and lose any more man power. I made those boxes so you guys can punish your subordinates without any violence."

"How can we use it?" Another Espada asked.

Aizen smiled, "Well, just put the box in the Arrancar's hole."

All Espada were surprised at the simple method. _How can just putting the little box in the hole imprison an Arrancar?_

And of course, Aizen could see well what his Espada were thinking. He told Gin to bring out a rebellious Arrancar to demonstrate the box's power.

In one second, Gin put the cube in that Arrancar's hole. What happened in the next second made all Espada in the room filled in silence.

There was something like black threads from his hole spreading out and covered his body. In a blink of eye, everything of him disappeared.

And they couldn't sense his reiatsu anywhere in Hueco Mundo.

Where did that Arrancar go? No one knew. Maybe it was just like Aizen-sama said,_ to another dimension._

"But what if that guy uses Garganta to come back to Hueco Mundo?" The Espada asked another question.

"No, he cannot use it, my dear Espada. He will be imprisoned _eternally_."

All of Espada looked cautiously at their great leader at his _last_ word. Aizen smirked and continued,

"Instead of punishing by killing off, we used this way. In another dimension, he can't even live nor die by himself. He will be lost and locked in that world eternally until the day his soul breaks down and becomes one with that world. Doesn't it make more fascinating?" Aizen smiled with his sinister eyes.

All of the Espada were sure that they didn't want to punish their subordinates like that. It was crueler than killing them off.

"But doesn't one cube only used for one Arrancar while those I want to punish are more than one? Let's see for example, how's about ten Arrancar?" Syazel, the pinked-haired Octava Espada, asked. As a self-proclaimed genius scientist, he surely got interest with the new toy Aizen-sama gave him.

"Do you intend to trap all of your subordinates?" Nnoitra, the Quinto Espada, sneered with his sarcasm.

"Ah, I should display for two instead of one." Aizen sighed. Somehow he just didn't care the small matter as much. "Well, if they are close at hand with each other, then you can lock them both."

"You mean like if two people are next to each other, the box can trap them both?" Syazel stated the meaning of Aizen's word.

"Yes, so be careful that you are not getting caught in." Aizen smiled again with his sinful smile. _This was really not fun._

"Boss, do you know the maximum of Arrancar that one box can imprison?" The oldest looking Espada with the name Barragan asked.

"Well, that's quite a difficult question because I haven't tried that by myself. It just depends on the range of reiatsu. If there are too many Arrancar for too much reiatsu adding up, the box might be broken. Although I'm not sure if those were locked inside could get out or not."

"Ha ha ha, it's just like eating too much until your stomach bursts." Yammy remarked. As long as he linked to eating and sleeping, he could understand anything.

"So what will happen if we put the box to one of the Espada?" The one who asked this question was Grimmjow. And everybody turned their heads to his seat.

_What absurd thing was he asking?_

"Ah, actually, they are not designed for use on Espada. Well, it depends on how much strong your reiatsu is. If the box couldn't stand up your reiatsu, it will soon be broken and you can get out. Usually, the time for your range reiatsu is from one week to one hour." Aizen replied.

"But it still could imprison the Espada for a while right?" Grimmjow repeated the statement. He made a sound 'tch'. "This thing will be troublesome while fighting."

He wanted to fight Nnoitra and Ulquiorra head on someday and they would use that box on him just to escape the fight. He sure didn't like this.

"Do you want to try how long you could be in the box, Grimmjow?" Syazel did the teasing toward the Sexta Espada.

"Tch, no thanks!" Grimmjow snarled.

"Or maybe, your reiatsu was too weak and you might be locked in that eternally." Nnoitra added more oil to the fire.

"And here I just thought that I would try to erase you guys from this world using that box." Grimmjow jeered back at Nnoitra and Syazel.

"OK! Grimmjow, Nnoitra, Syazel. Enough with the jokes. I said no internal war. For now, I will give each Espada one box. If you used it once and wanted more, just come and ask Tousen. The meeting ends here."

As the meeting was dismissed, all of the Espada took the cube on the table, stood up and left quickly.

Ah, no. There was one Espada still staying in the meeting room. He still held on the small cube and hadn't left his seat yet. Aizen was curious at his action and asked him.

"Do you have something to say, Ulquiorra?"

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

The chapter is long because there are too many people talking. Aizen kept his sinful smile in this whole chapter, but the atmosphere of the meeting wasn't really pleasant at all.

This chapter isn't from anywhere in the manga, but it's my thought about the Caja Negacíon. I also took sone facts from the manga and stretched it out.

Why did Ulquiorra still stay while everyone left? What "something" did he want to say?

Please look forward for the next chapter.


	13. CHAPTER 12: THE PRISON OF THE SELF

Thanks for reading this story!

Flashback continues.

If there's no flashback then I cannot based on that to make my plot move, the same for if there's no moment about them in manga, there's no way I can make those two acting at least in the character that I could perceive them.

I'm actually fond at them and I will make more in future, so please excuse it.

This chapter is a bit twisted with Aizen's (or rather my own) philosophy.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 12: YOURSELF IS A PRISON, YOUR PRISON IS YOURSELF**

The Espada looked up and realized that everybody had already left. He suddenly stood up and made an apology gesture to his action.

"My apologies, Aizen-sama. I'm just thinking."

"About what?" Aizen chuckled. It was rarely to see Ulquiorra like that. "You don't like the box I made?"

"I don't have any Fracción, Aizen-sama. So I don't think that I would need this box."

"Ah." Aizen smiled. "You can use that on other Espada's Fracción that annoyed you."

"If in case of those Fracción are bothering me, I will take the action by myself to let them know that who's in charge them."

"Well, the idea of Cuatro Espada directly executing the punishment to the Fracción is not bad. But at this time right now, I need you to go on some missions for the preparing war. So it's better if you keep this cube for emergency use."

"If Aizen-sama said so, then I will obey. So then please excuse me." Ulquiorra made his bow gesture. He was going to leave the room.

"Ne ~ Ulquiorra, what do you think where that Arrancar went?" Gin Ichimaru's voice stopped his legs. Ulquiorra turned his head back.

"I thought you know where he went. Didn't Aizen-sama already say 'a separate dimension'?" Ulquiorra answered. He repeated at what Aizen-sama said.

"Na ~ I just ask what dimension do you think he was imprisoned to?" Gin Ichimaru snickered with his slit-eyes.

And Ulquiorra didn't get his question. _Why did he have to care about that?_

"Gin, don't make it hard for Ulquiorra." Aizen-sama stopped Gin's teasing.

He looked at Ulquiorra and his eyes sparkled something mischievous.

"Ulquiorra, where in the world that one can be trapped in easily, yet cannot get out?"

Ulquiorra didn't say anything. Aizen-sama's question was just like Gin Ichimaru's question. He figured if he kept on silence, Aizen-sama would soon answer him that.

"In themselves, Ulquiorra."

_Themselves?_

"As long as you exist in this world, be it in material form or spirit form, you already live your life in prison. You get caught and lost in yourself."

Seeing Ulquiorra didn't get well with his word, Aizen changed into another simple question. "What is common thing that all Arrancar have?"

"The Hollow hole." Ulquiorra answered immediately. Then he suddenly realized something, his eyes opened widely for a second.

And it seemed Aizen caught that realization in his eyes.

"Right. That's why it's needed to put the cube into the hole. That's what Caja Negacíon is about. They were trapped in their own 'negative' world. And they cannot get rid of it. Because it would mean they would get rid of themselves."

"But Aizen-sama, you said an Espada could be able to get out of the box." Ulquiorra asked. No, he repeated another statement from Aizen-sama for the confirmation.

"I think Espada are strong enough to break down their own negative world. Don't you think the same?" Aizen chuckled while Ulquiorra kept silence.

And then Ulquiorra made another bowing and left the room.

"Ulquiorra ~ if you someday got caught in, try your best to get out ne ~."

Gin Ichimaru grinned and waved goodbye at the melancholic Espada, hoping that he could make any expression after he left, but Gin failed.

At that time, Ulquiorra thought at himself_. _

_There was no way that I would let myself get caught by this thing or let anyone put this thing in me._

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

Now, I wonder if there's anyone who can get the meaning of this chapter. But at least, that's my theory about Caja Negacíon.

Until Kubo-sensei will be kind enough to tell me what's going on inside them in the future, my imagination about them will be active as much as I can.

If the flashback was about Ulquiorra's past alone, then of course you won't see Orihime even though I did want to foreshadow her every chapter, but it seemed I failed.

Like I said before, my mind right now is an adventure, and now it focused on Ulquiorra.

See you in next chapter.


	14. CHAPTER 13: EMPTY SOUL

Thanks for reading this story!

This chapter is like an omake of Ulquiorra's flashback.

It's short, but it's significant because of the next chapter.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 13: EMPTY SOUL**

"Why do you have to apply your twisted philosophy to the poor kid? I doubt that his Hollow self could understand anything about self."

Gin loosed his arm to the side, and glanced at Aizen. His grin became wider.

"Because he's empty." Aizen replied.

"Hn? What does that mean?" Gin made a puzzled face. He bent his head slightly to the side.

"Ulquiorra is an empty soul, Gin. Besides loyalty to me, he has nothing to attach at. So I think it'd be best that he would keep thinking about his loyalty to me. That would make him more easy to use right?" Aizen said his plan with his sinful smile.

"Aizen-han ~, your bad habit starts again. You just want to find another substitute who would only obey you like Hinamori." Gin remarked Aizen with his grin. And Aizen only smiled back.

"So ~ who will you choose for the mission going to human world this time?" Gin asked Aizen the last question.

And he saw nothing besides Aizen's another mischievous smile.

Gin surely knew who Aizen would choose.

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

This chapter title is the perception I have about Ulquiorra. Also Aizen's. I know there's someone who would think otherwise, but oh well…

This chapter ends Caja Negacíon's flashback.

What will the next chapter store? Please look forward.


	15. CHAPTER 14: ULQUIORRA: DESTINY ENCOUNTER

Thanks for reading this story!

It's been a long time since I update this story. I almost finished the new arc, but for better sake, I tried to revive and rewrite it all the time, by the time I was gonna update. But I think it's better if I could finish it with satisfaction and upload instead of fixing it again.

Yay for the new chapter, continue from the previous flashback, we will have the ever first meeting between Ulquiorra and Orihime.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach and their characters (definitely); they are all masterpieces from Kubo-sensei~

* * *

**CHAPTER 14: ULQUIORRA ~ DESTINY ENCOUNTER**

When I first saw you, I thought that I was caught in your eyes.

Your big grey eyes full of various _expressions _kept sucking me in.

Those are things that I didn't understand. I had never possessed them in the first place.

I _couldn't help_ but keep looking at them while your angsty voice shouting that trash's name kept echoing in my ears.

I was angry at that foolish thought. I was angry at myself for thinking of such thought.

I had nothing besides the loyalty to Aizen-sama. I was here for mission on Aizen-sama's behalf.

This _human_ was not my mission.

I had to close my eyes to settle my own thought. _If I didn't see those eyes, then I would be fine__._

The words forming from my mouth spoke the fact I always said. But it sounded like I was convincing myself.

And then the next second when I opened my eyes again, all I saw was the color of the sun from your shield broken into pieces.

At that time, you were standing in the middle of that bright color with a full of determinate look in your eyes.

_Why were you not afraid, foolish human? _

And I _could not able_ to look away from you anymore.

I started to notice you. _Everything about you_.

Yammy's loud voice startled my thought, and I noticed another interesting thing.

You were doing something that I had never seen before.

You casted another orange shield on your trash friend's injured arm. And his flesh started to form back to his body. That looked more like time reversal or spatial renewal. Whatever it was, it was not just a simple healing technique.

"You're a strange human, woman."

I couldn't help but comment. I spoke my thought out loud before I realized it.

But it seemed Yammy was too dumb to pick it up the meaning in my own words. He just probably didn't care as long as he could act what he liked, and I just took advantage of his trait.

Then I turned my attention to the _strange_ _woman_.

She was strange. I had never seen her kind before.

Now I was sure that I _didn't want_ to take my eyes off you anymore.

The woman was more and more dazzling and beautiful to my eyes as every second goes by.

And that meant my mission today would be failed.

Because the first time in my life that I was distracted by other thing besides mission.

And I couldn't allow that. I was only loyal to Aizen-sama. He gave me order and I had to execute it.

Yammy made a request about bringing her back to Aizen-sama.

_For what_, Yammy? That was not his order.

Did you try to make me fail in this mission?

Our target was an orange hair shinigami with a black bankai.

"That's not necessary. Kill her, Yammy."

Fortunately, Yammy was dumb enough for not asking me why because I myself couldn't be able to answer his question.

Didn't I just state out at the beginning that there was no need for unnecessary killing? Why did I have to order her to be killed?

Because she was trash? No, with this strange power, she might be not trash.

Because she was the first human that distracted my thought?

Or is it because that I couldn't get her out of my range of vision?

And then suddenly, I realized my action at that time wasn't for Aizen-sama.

I did that for all myself. I didn't want to get attracted by her.

And it was not because of Aizen's sama. It was because of me.

Is that what Aizen-sama said before "getting caught and lost in yourself"?

At that point in time, I had no idea that this encounter would change my destiny so tremendously.

* * *

**JinxJen's note:**

In this chapter, I used the first person's POV that is Ulquiorra, so I could elaborate his thought in the first time he met Orihime. At the same time, I want to connect what happened with him might relate to the previous convo between Ulquiorra and Aizen.

Poor Ulquiorra, he didn't even realized that he got fallen into Orihime that deep.

We might return to the current situation in the box next chapter with Orihime. Look forward it.


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